Carrier bags



Dec. 24, 1963 H. F. GATWARD 3,115,294

' CARRIER BAGS Filed Nov. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG] INVENTOR.

HARRY FREDERICK GATWARD I ATTORNEYS- Dec. 24, 1963 H. F. GATWARD 3,115,294

CARRIER BAGS Filed Nov. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HARRY FREDERICK GATWARD $1M MAM-4 A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,115,294 CARRIER BAGS Harry Frederick Gatward, 72 Tottenham Court Road, London W. 1, England Filed Nov. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 150,560 3 Claims. (Cl. 22952) This invention relates to carrier bags of the kind constructed from paper or like comparatively thin material having a cardboard or like reinforcement adjacent the mouth, the mouth of the bag being intended to be folded over and maintained in a folded over position when the bag is carried by means of a string or other type of carrying handle. An example of such a carrier bag forms the subject of my USA. Patent No. 2,836,344.

The chief object of the invention is to evolve a carrier bag of the above kind having an improved form of carrying handle.

A carrier bag of the kind set forth and in accordance with the present invention includes two flap portions intended to be folded over one upon the other to provide a water-tight closure and each incorporating and having the shape of an internal stiffening member of cardboard or the like, the lower flap carrying a stiff cardboard or like handle, the upper flap being formed with a slot intended to receive the handle to hold the flaps in facial engagement.

The handle may either be connected to the flap in an inseparable manner or may form an integral part of the flap.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a box type carrier bag having a preferred form of carrying handle;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the bag closed;

FIGURE 3 is a section drawn to an enlarged scale on the line AB in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative form of carrying handle; and

FIGURE 5 is a view of the carrier bag shown in FIG- URE 4 but in its closed condition.

Referring in the first instance to the construction shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 the carrier bag 1 is of the rectangular box type forming the subject of my prior Patent No. 2,836,344, the bag being composed of paper or other suitable material having an upwardly projecting marginal extension 2 incorporating internally arranged cardboard or like stiffening members 3 and 4, member 4 being cut away at 5 at an angle of 45 to its upper edge.

The marginal extension is folded over inwardly through 90 into a position in which the stiffening members are superimposed, stiffening member 4 lying uppermost.

The handle 6 is constructed from a cardboard blank which is folded back on itself as at 7 in FIGURE 3, the free edges of the blank being bent through 90 as at 8 and in opposite directions. The lower flap including the stifiening member 3 is formed with a slot 9 through which the handle is passed, the outwardly turned edges 10 being adhesively secured to the under surface of the stiffening member 3.

The handle may include a paper inner lining member having ends 11 which as shown in FIGURE 1 project laterally beyond the ends of the outwardly turned edges of the handle to strengthen the stiffening member 3 at ice the ends of the slot and give the handle increased strength.

The handle is formed with the usual slot for the entry of the fingers when carrying the bag. The handle may be notched as at 12 at its opposite edges to receive the edges of the stiffening member 3 adjacent the ends of the slot and as shown in FIGURE 2 to interengage the edges of the stiffening member 4 adjacent the ends of a slot 13 which is adapted to receive the handle as in FIGURE 2 thereby maintaining the flaps firmly together in superimposed relationship.

In the case of FIGURES 4 and 5 the handle 6 is constructed by forming one side of the upward extension of the bag with two spaced diverging cuts 14 extending to the centre of the stiffening member 3 where they are connected by a crease line 15. The handle 6 therefore can be folded along the crease line so that it projects upwardly at right angles to the reinforcing member from which it is constructed.

The handle is formed with a slot like opening through which the fingers of the hand can be passed and to render the handle more comfortable to hold it may be formed with a tongue 16 which is folded inwardly so that the upper part of the handle is of increased thickness where it is gripped by the fingers.

To further assist in the retention of the upper flap in contact with the lower flap and in addition to the frictional engagement of the edges of the slot on the sides of the handle, the extreme ends of the handle may be notched as at 12 or specially shaped at its edges to interengage with the extreme ends of the slot 13 in the upper flap.

It will be appreciated that the bag is formed with crease lines so that when not in use it will lie flat together with the handle, but when required for use can be opened out to its rectangular box like shape.

I claim:

1. A carrier comprising a flexible paper bag having connected end, side and bottom walls and a rectangular open mouth at its top and formed with crease lines to enable it to be folded flat but openable to rectangular box shape, the end and side walls of said bag being extended upwardly above the mouth of the bag to form an upward extension incorporating inwardly foldable superimposed flap portions, an opposed pair of said flap portions each incorporating a cardboard stiffening member adhesively secured to the inner surface thereof, at least one of said stiffening members being coextensive in width and length with the bag mouth to completely cover the mouth on folding, the lower of said opposed flap portions including a handle integral with the attached stiffening member and formed by two cuts extending from the edge to the center of the stiffening member, the inner ends of said cuts being connected by a crease line enabling the handle portion to be bent through ninety degrees so as to project upwardly from the flap and at right angles thereto, and the upper of said opposed flap portions being formed at its center with a slot to receive the upwardly projecting handle to maintain the flap portions in close parallel relationship and render the bag substantially waterproof.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 .wherein said upper flap stiffening member is also coextensive in dimensions with the bag mouth except that it is cut away at the sides References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,665,035 Kleebauer et a1, Apr. 3, 1928 4 Grossman Oct. 15, Wolf Oct. 17, Mulnix May 3, McMillan Mar. 14, Rendall Nov. 23, Vineberg June 23, 

1. A CARRIER COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE PAPER BAG HAVING CONNECTED END, SIDE AND BOTTOM WALLS AND A RECTANGULAR OPEN MOUTH AT ITS TOP AND FORMED WITH CREASE LINES TO ENABLE IT TO BE FOLDED FLAT BUT OPENABLE TO RECTANGULAR BOX SHAPE, THE END AND SIDE WALLS OF SAID BAG BEING EXTENDED UPWARDLY ABOVE THE MOUTH OF THE BAG TO FORM AN UPWARD EXTENSION INCORPORATING INWARDLY FOLDABLE SUPERIMPOSED FLAP PORTIONS, AN OPPOSED PAIR OF SAID FLAP PORTIONS EACH INCORPORATING A CARDBOARD STIFFENING MEMBER ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID STIFFENING MEMBERS BEING COEXTENSIVE IN WIDTH AND LENGTH WITH THE BAG MOUTH TO COMPLETELY COVER THE MOUTH ON FOLDING, THE LOWER OF SAID OPPOSED FLAP PORTIONS INCLUDING A HANDLE INTEGRAL WITH THE ATTACHED STIFFENING MEMBER AND FORMED BY TWO CUTS EXTENDING FROM THE EDGE TO THE CENTER OF THE STIFFENING MEMBER, THE INNER ENDS OF SAID CUTS BEING CONNECTED BY A CREASE LINE ENABLING THE HANDLE PORTION TO BE BENT THROUGH NINETY DEGREES SO AS TO PROJECT UPWARDLY FROM THE FLAP AND AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, AND THE UPPER OF SAID OPPOSED FLAP PORTIONS BEING FORMED AT ITS CENTER WITH A SLOT TO RECEIVE THE UPWARDLY PROJECTING HANDLE TO MAINTAIN THE FLAP PORTIONS IN CLOSE PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP AND RENDER THE BAG SUBSTANTIALLY WATERPROOF. 